LeftLaneNews brings back to focus the rumored BMW Compact Sport Tourer concept that apparently Munich-based automaker is working on. In the past, rumors of a Compact Sport Tourer and Advanced Sport Tourer surfaced on BMWBLOG, and at the time, based on limited information, we reported that these vehicles will be sitting under the 1 Series family.

According to sources close to BMW referred to the two models as an answer to customer request for extended space in family-oriented vehicle that offers more flexibility in a much smaller car.

LeftLaneNews takes a different angle here. They refer to these vehicles as the X0, a badging that we are a hundred percent sure BMW won’t use. Same publication mentions that the car will actually join the X-family and will be powered by three and four-cylinder turbocharged engines with small displacement, less than 1.5 liters. The active car is said to share much of the MINI Countryman’s front-wheel drive platform, a move that would save BMW development costs and will offer better fuel consumption.

Unfortunately, we’re inclined to disagree with some of their assumptions. We continue to believe that the Active and Compact Sports Tourers will be actually using the 1 Series matrix, with a FWD/4WD platform. We see these type of vehicles as a larger hatch/wagon with space for five and higher driving position.

Same as the 5GT, the cars will fulfill a niche where customers require increased flexibility from their cars while maintaining the premium status. Moving into 2011, we expect to learn more about BMW’s future plans for the 1 Series and also about the front-wheel drive platform.

[Source: LeftLaneNews ]